Board mounted connectors for interconnecting the conductors of the non-terminated end of a flexible circuit or flexible cable to conductive traces on a printed circuit board typically include a two part intermatable housing. The first part of the housing is attached to the circuit board while the second part is movable with respect to the first part between a closed position where the conductors of the flexible circuit are held in contacting engagement with the contacts of the connector and an open position where the flexible circuit is free to be inserted into or removed from the connector. The contacts of the connector have tails that are usually soldered to the conductive traces on the printed circuit board. It is desirable that the second part of the housing be captive to the first part and that detentes be provided that tend to hold the second part in both the open and closed positions until deliberately moved into the other position. Such requirements are usually met by bayonet type projections extending from one of the parts that mate with corresponding cavities in the other part. The projections and cavities are arranged near opposite ends of the connector, for example, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,017 which issued Mar. 16, 1993 to Consoli. The '017 patent discloses a two part connector for interconnecting a flexible circuit to a circuit board. The board mounted portion of the connector housing includes a pair of cavities, one at each end while the movable portion has projections extending from each end that mate with the cavities. Each of the projections includes two spaced detentes that cooperate with their respective cavities to define the open and closed positions of the connector parts. Such bayonet and mating cavity structures are rather substantial in size and, therefore, require considerable space. In very high density applications, space is at a premium so such structures are unsuitable.
What is needed is an economical two part flexible circuit connector that includes a structure for holding the two parts captive including a two position detent that does not appreciably increase the overall size of the connector, yet is effective and simple to operate.